Troops enter strategic Thunukkai town
Ranil WIJAYAPALA
MULLAITIVU: Army troops attached to the 57 Division yesterday entered
the strategically important Thunukkai town, an alternative hideout of
LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in the Western flank of the
Mullaitivu district, west of the Jaffna-Kandy A-9 road and are
continuing search operation to flush out Tiger cadres, military sources
told the Daily News last night.
"The fall of Thunukkai is imminent by Friday afternoon as troops are
flushing out Tiger cadres," Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said.
Meanwhile, military sources said that intermittent clashes erupted
yesterday too with the LTTE, as troops entered this strategically
important town to gain full control of it.
Sources said troops were poised for more clashes as LTTE was offering
stiff resistance towards the advancing troops as they are on the verge
of losing one of their strongholds in the Wanni.
Thunukkai is on the Mankulam-Vellankulam Road which connects the
Jaffna-Kandy A-9 Road to the North Western coast. The capture of
Thunukkai will mark a huge milestone in the Security Forces' efforts to
liberate the entire North from LTTE clutches as it would be a giant leap
towards reaching the Tiger heartland Kilinochchi. |